Riyadh, Jan 26 (Arab News): Results of the latest 2017 housing census show that nearly one in two Saudi homes is owned. The figure of 49.91 ownership was revealed by the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) on its official website on Thursday. The 10-year survey was conducted between April and May last year.

This percentage does not include owned housing units constructed with non-reinforced construction materials including (clay, stone, pitch and bricks).

There has been a fall in the proportion of houses that were built with non-reinforced materials, such as clay, stone, pitch and bricks, from 13.38 percent 2016 to 10 percent in 2017.

Just over a third — 38 percent — of Saudi housing units are rented.

Employer-provided housing for Saudi households makes up 1.69 percent of the units.

The results did not show the percentage of individuals owning homes. It dealt with the characteristics of housing among households, including the type of the housing tenure within the framework of the survey.

Housing surveys rely on scientific methods of sampling selected households. The survey form gives accurate information to inform future housing initiatives, allowing the possibility of studying housing characteristics in a more comprehensive manner than in the census.

The survey was conducted with the cooperation of the Ministry of Housing, where housing surveys are one of the most important sources of data needed for development planning.

It aims to provide data on housing units occupied by households and study the impact of housing characteristics and the surrounding environment.

It also aims to create a housing information base for planners and researchers required for future development plans.

It aims to conduct local, regional and international comparisons, measuring developments and growth in housing areas in terms of type of housing and the age of the house inhabited by the households.